The yield of head CT in syncope: a pilot study

Although head CT is often routinely performed in emergency department (ED) patients with syncope, few studies have assessed its value

Myocardial ultrasonic tissue characterization in patients with thyroid dysfunction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Structural myocardial abnormalities have been extensively documented in hypothyroidism. Experimental studies in animal models have also shown involvement of thyroid hormones in gene expression of myocardial collagen. This study was planned to investigate the ability of ultrasonic tissue characterization, as evaluated by integrated backscatter (IBS), to early identify myocardial involvement in thyroid dysfunction.</p> <p>Patients and Methods</p> <p>We studied 15 patients with hyperthyroidism (HYPER), 8 patients with hypothyroidism (HYPO), 14 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and 19 normal (N) subjects, who had normal LV systolic function. After treatment, 10 HYPER, 6 HYPO, and 8 SCH patients were reevaluated. IBS images were obtained and analyzed in parasternal short axis (papillary muscle level) view, at left ventricular (LV) posterior wall. The following IBS variables were analyzed: 1) the corrected coefficient (CC) of IBS, obtained by dividing IBS intensity by IBS intensity measured in a rubber phantom, using the same equipment adjustments, at the same depth; 2) cardiac cyclic variation (CV) of IBS - peak-to-peak difference between maximal and minimal values of IBS during cardiac cycle; 3) cardiac cyclic variation index (CVI) of IBS - percentual relationship between the cyclic variation (CV) and the mean value of IBS intensity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>CC of IBS was significantly larger (p < 0.05) in HYPER (1.57 ± 0.6) and HYPO (1.53 ± 0.3) as compared to SCH (1.32 ± 0.3) or N (1.15 ± 0.27). The CV (dB) (HYPO: 7.5 ± 2.4; SCH: 8.2 ± 3.1; HYPER: 8.2 ± 2.0) and the CVI (HYPO: 35.6 ± 19.7%; SCH: 34.7 ± 17.5%; HYPER: 37.8 ± 11.6%) were not significantly different in patients with thyroid dysfunction as compared to N (7.0 ± 2.0 and 44.5 ± 15.1%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>CC of IBS was able to differentiate cardiac involvement in patients with overt HYPO and HYPER who had normal LV systolic function. These early myocardial structural abnormalities were partially reversed by drug therapy in HYPER group. On the other hand, although mean IBS intensity tended to be slightly larger in patients with SCH as compared to N, this difference was not statistical significant.</p

Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) copy virtual demonstrators in a two-action test.

Juvenile budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) observed thin film transistor video playback of a virtual conspecific demonstrator using its beak to remove a stopper from a food box, either by pulling the object upward or by pushing it downward. Simultaneously (Experiment 1) or subsequently (Experiment 2), the observers were offered a similar stopper box and rewarded with access to food for each removal response, regardless of its direction. Observers of upward movement made a greater proportion of up responses in total and showed a stronger tendency to increase the proportion of up responses over test trials than observers of downward movement. These findings provide the first demonstration of which the authors are aware that birds are able not only to detect and respond to a moving video image but also to copy its movements

NeSI capability development for researchers: Providing a supported framework for learning

NeSI’s vision for its Capability Development Programme is to make available to NZ researchers appropriate training to take advantage of NeSI’s high performance computing (HPC) systems and other eResearch technologies. The overarching theme of the programme is to enable researchers to accelerate their research outcomes with the objective to empower researchers to make the most effective use of the NeSI platforms. Our presentation outlines this programme’s main areas of focus for 2015 and provides some highlights on a few key activities

Imitative pecking by budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, over a 24 h delay

On video, budgerigars observed a conspecific demonstrator depressing a stopper by pecking or by stepping and then feeding from the box below. The observers were given access to the stopper, immediately after observation or following a 24 h delay, and we recorded the proportion of their stopper removal responses that were made by pecking and by stepping. In experiments 1a and 1b, observers of pecking made a greater proportion of pecking responses than observers of stepping, and this effect did not vary between the immediate and delayed test groups. The results of experiment 2 replicated this effect with a delayed test, and suggested that it was due to imitation of pecking. Control birds that observed a demonstrator feeding, but did not see stopper removal, made a smaller proportion of pecking responses than pecking observers, but their behaviour did not differ from that of stepping observers. These findings are consistent with the associative sequence learning model of imitation, which suggests that the capacity to imitate a particular action depends on correlated experience of observing and executing that action. © 2009 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Scholar-Baller®: Student Athlete Socialization, Motivation And Academic Performance In American Society

A Scholar-Baller is someone who succeeds academically and athletically/socially. Scholar-Baller is a nonprofit organization that has developed and implemented culturally relevant incentive-based educational programs at the high school and college levels to help bridge the gap between education, sport, and popular culture, to help reposition the current model of sport in American society and to help create a new mindset among student-athletes in terms of their perceptions about education, sport, and career aspirations. Scholar-Baller, which is endorsed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), provides innovative incentives to recognize academic achievements of student-athletes who attain a high grade point average (GPA) or who demonstrate significant academic improvement. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved